'American Idol' vs. 'The Voice': Who's the best singer? Vote here.

"American Idol" vs. "The Voice": Our judges (and you) sound off on the best performances of the week.

Jessica Sanchez, a darling of "American Idol" judges and our readers, was voted off by America this week. Only Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were having none of it. They didn't even bother to make her sing before giving out their sole save.

Did the judges make the right call? Cast your vote for the top performers below and see what our experts had to say about how "The Voice" and "Idol" contestants compared this week.

Joshua Ledet

'Runaway Baby'

A sharp 'Runaway'

After scuffing the edges of Bruno Mars' hit with raspy, raw soul, it's getting harder to accept that Ledet's probably doomed against the hydra of bland that is Colton Dixon's haircut, Jessica Sanchez's pageant-ready predictability and Phillip Phillips' dorm-room Dave Matthews. So let's enjoy while we can. — Chris Barton

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Skylar Laine

"idol"

This week's song:

'Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You'

The power of holding back

Though previous performances found Laine's brassy twang reaching for somewhere just above the stratosphere, she reined it in for this Kellie Pickler country ballad and let it loose at just the right moments. Maybe the restraint came from having to mind a guitar, but Laine can go so much higher when she stays grounded. — Chris Barton

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Juliet Simms

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Roxanne'

Showing some sting

Despite what Eddie Murphy showed us in "48 Hrs.," "Roxanne" isn't easy to sing, even less so with what looks like a horse's mane dangling off one of your arms. Simms' big-voiced emoting nearly got out of hand in spots, but in a song that rewards a little vocal overreaching, Simms pretty much nailed it. — Chris Barton

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Jamar Rogers

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Are You Gonna Go My Way'

Going his way

The world probably doesn't need to be reminded of Lenny Kravitz any more than necessary, but Rogers had a blast with his song's glossy, arena-ready pomp. The operatic flourishes at the edge of Rogers' voice could stand to be trimmed a bit, but he looked to be having a blast, and it was contagious. — Chris Barton

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Tony Vincent

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Everybody Wants to Rule the World'

A farewell to odd

Even though he was eliminated, we'll miss the bizarre, Broadway-ready Vincent. Who else could make a Tears for Fears song briefly resemble a fascist rally? Who else can pull off a credibly sinister Annie Lennox in that last-chance turn with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"? Who will be our futuristic super-villain now? — Chris Barton

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Todd Martens

Music Writer

Joshua Ledet

"idol"

This week's song:

'Runaway Baby'

In front, by a lap

Halfway through the song, Ledet stretched the word "hand" to make it last about three seconds. Good thing, because the "Idol" horn section was struggling to keep pace with Ledet's rhythm & soul groove, Motown strut and rock 'n' roll twists. And he still had time to high-five the crowd nearly every verse. — Todd Martens

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Juliet Simms

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Roxanne'

Put on the spotlights

Like "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," this Police hit is so overplayed that it should be placed in permanent retirement. Simms managed to reclaim it. She didnt go Sting-like high or even full-on rock 'n' roll but rasped her way through the tune's urban anguish. — Todd Martens

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Elise Testone

"idol"

This week's song:

'You and I'

Going gaga for Elise

Pop fashionista Lady Gaga flirts with country on her borderline-sappy "You and I." Testone, dare I say, improved on the original, turning nostalgia for days of tomfoolery on the couch into a mission statement for future encounters. — Todd Martens

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Tony Lucca

"the voice"

This week's song:

'In Your Eyes'

In his eyes

This Peter Gabriel charmer appears simpler than it is, and Lucca found the delicate balance between yearning and puppy-dog softness. He coasted on the song's worldly groove and used the moments between the beats for eye-opening pleas. — Todd Martens

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James Massone

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Don't Know Why'

Wore me down

Massone, I dreaded. Why, I thought, is this guy on TV and not selling peanuts at Fenway Park? Yet with the help of Cee Lo, Massone turned out to have a soulful falsetto hiding behind his sympathetic screech. The question remains: Can Cee Lo unearth more magic? — Todd Martens

Jessica Sanchez

"idol"

This week's song:

'Stuttering'

An intimate moment with a future star

We know Sanchez is a star, but with her riveting take on "Stuttering," she surpassed her already high standard. The performance may have been her most intimate. It felt like she was reaching out to the audience and asking to be heard and known. — Amy Reiter

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Elise Testone

"idol"

This week's song:

'Somebody That I Used to Know'

Sharing the spotlight with Phillip Phillips

If I could put Phillip Phillips' face here next to Testone's, I would. Their duet of "Somebody That I Used to Know" was suspenseful and satisfying. Testone also showed off her textured tone on her solo "You and I," caressing the soft notes and then letting her voice soar. — Amy Reiter

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Jamar Rogers

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Are You Gonna Go My Way'

The comeback kid comes out strong

They're calling Rogers the "comeback kid." I call him totally exciting to watch. This week he burst out like a fireball, demanding "Are You Gonna Go My Way" while running through the legs of stilt-wearing, guitar-thrashing dancers and leading us to a definite "yes." — Amy Reiter

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Katrina Parker

"the voice"

This week's song:

'Don't Speak'

Her vocals speak for themselves

I understand why voters didn't rally around Parker for her performance of "Tonight, Tonight," but her take on "Don't Speak" showed off her passion, vulnerability and throaty-good vocals. Enough with the Adele styling, though. Parker's got an individual voice; she needs her own look. — Amy Reiter

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Skylar Laine

"idol"

This week's song:

'Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You'

Didn't know how much I liked her

Yes, she was pitchy on that Colton Dixon duet. But accompanying herself on guitar on "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You," with campfire sparks flying, Laine seemed every bit the confident country star. Didn't know how much I liked her until this performance. — Amy Reiter